Morden town centre regeneration plans a 'slow burner' with no start date in site

The Merton Council leader has admitted plans for Morden’s long-awaited regeneration are not coming any time soon. Councillor Ross Garrod described the project as a ‘slow burner,’ despite the plans being in the pipeline for over two decades.

While the council has committed £300,000 to ‘brighten and refresh’ Morden town centre in 2024-25, many believe the town centre is showing signs of age and falling behind other areas in the borough. According to councillors, one of the reasons for the stalling is the council’s inability to secure the requisite funding.

Cllr Garrod made the admission during the council’s inaugural Leader’s Question time event, held in Mitcham’s Vestry Hall last night (Tuesday, November 12). Speaking to a patchy crowd, he said: “Trust has been difficult when it comes to Morden because you have been let down. I am frustrated more than anybody.”

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He added: “It will be a slow burner. That is why I am not going to give you a date.”

Despite being one of the best-connected areas in the borough, having good bus links and a rare tube terminus, Merton Council has so far been unable to press forward with plans to regenerate the area. When asked by an audience member for the reasons behind the stall, Cllr Garrod replied saying they were varied.

According to Cllr Garrod, inflationary pressures and the rising cost of building materials are a continual stumbling block. However, the main barrier to progress has come from the lack of adequate funding itself.

Merton Council had previously applied for a £20m grant from the then Department for Levelling Up to use to redevelop Morden. However, the council missed out on this grant while neighbouring Sutton was successful in its bid for £14 million to reinstate a twin track between Sutton and Belmont station.

Following that decision, Cllr Garrod said: “The way funding decisions for local projects are made must be overhauled. The Levelling Up Fund actually works against levelling up communities by pitting them against each other in a fight for cash, when these decisions would be better made by local communities themselves.”

Jonathan Carr-West, Chief Executive of the Local Government Information Unit, also commented on what he saw as the unfair hand councils are dealt. He said: “People will debate whether these allocations are right or fair but the real problem here is that this is a crazy way to fund local government.” He added: “With competitive bids and the government picking winners – there will always be losers.”

Another reason given for why Morden continues to falter is due to the lack of a Business Improvement District (BID). A BID is a designated area within a city or town where local businesses agree to pay additional taxes or fees to fund improvements, services, and initiatives aimed at enhancing the area’s economic vitality, safety, appearance, and overall appeal.

BIDs are typically managed by a non-profit organization or a board composed of business owners and stakeholders within the district. According to Deputy Mayor Eleanor Stringer, who joined Garrod on stage, Morden’s businesses cannot currently afford to fund a BID unlike in thriving Wimbledon.

In response, Stringer told the crowd that the council is now in the process of hiring a town centre manager for Morden. The appointee will be responsible for managing the town centre, coordinating public services and influencing strategic development.

Stringer also told the crowd of the other plans for Morden, that are intended to bridge the gap between now and the eventual redevelopment. In particular, she spoke of the opening of a new radio studio under the civic centre and the promise of more street markets as positive improvements to the town centre.

Despite this, this issue clearly remains a sore spot for many residents in the borough. Members of the crowd jokingly questioned Garrod, asking him “Have you ever been to Morden?” whilst he was extolling its virtues.

He admitted he shared their frustration as both a local and council leader but also pointed to other similar projects like Elephant Park in Southwark which took over 15 years to take shape. He added: “We are committed to working intensively behind the scenes for what the vision for Morden will look like. We don’t want to do to you, we want to do with you.”

Other topics discussed at the meeting included Merton’s cycling strategy and road safety issues. Also debated was Merton’s continued support of the All England Tennis Club expansion into Wimbledon Park Golf Club recently approved by the Deputy Mayor of London.

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